Switching member for electric switches



Feb. 13, 1934. J. SACHS 1,947,277

SWITCHING MEMBER FOR ELECTRIC SWITCHES Original Filed May 20, 1931 Fig.1 flig. 5'

Patented Feb. 13, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT, orrlcs SWITCHING MEMBER FOR ELECTRIC SWITCHES Joseph Sachs, West Hartford, Conn.

6 Claims.

The present invention is particularly applicable to electric switches or circuit controlling appliances of the type shown in my Patents No.

1,754,443 and No. 1,754,445, dated April 15, 1930 and No. 1,755,367, dated April 22, 1930. It will be understood, however, that while the invention is particularly applicable to switches of this type, it is not necessarily so limited.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a switching member or slide adapted to be economically manufactured, and so constructed that the metallic contact element thereof may be completely formed prior to assembly with the insulating element.

This present application constitutes a division of my copending application for Electric switch, Serial No. 538,688 filed May 20, 1931.

In the accompanying drawing I have shown in detail one embodiment of the invention in order that the invention may be clearly understood, but it will be understood that the drawing is intended for illustrative purposes only and is not to be construed as defining or limiting the scope of the invention, the claims forming a part of this specification being relied upon for that purpose.

Of the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary front view showing the right portion of a fused switch embodying the invention, the switch parts being in open-circuit positions and the front insulating plate and the front cover of the enclosing box being omitted.

Fig. 2 is a right side view of the switch with the enclosing box shown in vertical section.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary bottom view showing the right side portion of the switch with the enclosing box shown in transverse section.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing the several parts of the slide separated from each other.

The switch as a whole is preferably mounted in an enclosing box such as 1, which may be of any usual or preferred construction. Secured to the rear wall of the box is a rear insulating support on which the stationary switch contact means are mounted. For some classes of service it is preferable to provide for each leg of the circuit two separate vertically spaced contact means. When there are two such contact means, I preferably provide two separate insulating plates or bars 2 and 3 which constitute the rear insulating supporting means.

The contact means secured to the upper bar 2 preferably comprises two transversely spaced forward projecting contacts 4 and 5; and the contact means secured to the lower insulating bar 3 preferably comprises two transversely spaced forward projecting contacts 6 and 7. The contacts 4 and 7 are electrically connected respectively with wire receiving terminals 8 and 9. The contacts 5 and 6 are electrically connected with each other and such connection may be effected by means of a fuse carried in fuse contacts 10 and 11 mounted respectively at the forward ends of the contacts 5 and 6. Preferably a plate 12 of insulating material is connected with the contacts 5 and 6, this plate being vertical and being located immediately back of the fuse clips and fuses.

For establishing electrical connection between the stationary switch contacts, there is provided a switching member which comprises a flat plate 13 of insulating material and which also comprises one or more movable contacts secured to the plate 13 and corresponding in number to the pairs of stationary switch contacts. As shown there are two movable contacts 14 and 15 spaced to respectively engage the contacts 4, 5 and 6, 7. The plate 13 is mounted in edgewise relation to the rear insulating bars 2 and 3, being perpendicular thereto and perpendicular to the rear wall of the cabinet. The plate is rectilinearly movable in a predetermined path, being guided at the rear by the said bars 2 and 3 and being guided at the front by the said plate 12. The contacts 14 and 15 have contact faces at opposite sides of the plate 13, these contact faces being thus adapted to engage and connect the respective contacts 4, 5 and 6, '1. Fig. 1 shows the switch member in its lowermost position with the contacts 14 and 15 out of engagement with the respective contacts 4, 5 and 6, '7. It will be understood, however, that when the switching member is moved upward the contact 14 engages and connects the contacts 4, 5 and the contact 15 engages and connects the contacts 6, 7.

In order to hold the switching member in approximately its predetermined path the bars 2 and 3 are provided with ribs 2*, 2*- and 3 3 at the sides of the plate 13, and the plate 12 is provided with notches 12 in transverse ribs 12*; which notches receive the plate 13. The switching member is thus guided for rectilinear movement, but it is nevertheless left free to adjust itself transversely to a limited extent. Thus when the respective contacts engage each other, the switching member as an entirety may move transversely to compensate for any possible irregularities.

For operating the switching member I have shown a spindle or operating member 16 having a handle 17 which is located exteriorly of the enclosing box 1. The crank portion of the operating member 16 extends through a transverse slot 18 in the plate 13. By operating the handle the switching member may be moved upward or downward as desired. When there are two or more switching members, all of them can be operated simultaneously by the same operating member. t will be understood that instead of providing a handle 17 integral with the operating member 16 as shown, a suitable quick-makeand-break mechanism may be interposed between the handle and the operating member. Such a mechanism constitutes no part of the present invention and is, therefore, not shown.

In addition to being movable rectilinearly as already described, the said switching members may have an angular movement as fully set forth in my before-mentioned copending application. The means whereby such angular movement is effected constitute no part of the present invention and detailed description thereof is therefore omitted.

In accordance with the present invention each of the movable contacts, as for instance the contact 14, is provided With substantially parallel spaced portions 14 14 having a transverse connecting portion 14 between them. The oppositely disposed contact faces 14, 14 are shown as being on additional portions connected with or extending from the said portions 14, 14 The contact is preferably formed by bending a single strip of metal. The contact is completely formed prior to assembly with the plate 13, it being thus possible to accurately shape the contact with the contact faces thereof in exactly the desired predetermined relationship to each other.

In order that the contact 14 may be properly positioned with respect to the plate 13 the said plate is provided between the guiding edges thereof with an opening which extends entirely therethrough and which is of such size and shape as to permit the previously formed contact element 14 to be put in place with the connecting portion 14 thereof extending through the said opening and with the parallel portions 14 14* thereof located at opposite sides of the plate. The opening in the plate 13 may be varied as to shape and position, but it preferably has side walls parallel with the guiding edges of the plate, and it has at least one end wall perpendicular to the said edges. As shown the opening is in the form of a slot 19 extending longitudinally of the plate and open at the upper end thereof. When the said opening is a slot the contact element 14 may be assembled with the plate 13 by entering the connecting portion 14 in the slot 19 and then moving the contact element relatively downward to the position shown in Fig. 2. It will be observed that in this position the parallel portions 14 14*- of the contact are located at opposite sides of the plate 13, the thickness of the plate being such that the said parallel portions are in close proximity to the said sides.

A suitable means is provided for holding the contact 14 in place in the opening or slot 19, and

as shown this means comprises at least one flat plate 20 of insulating material connected with the plate 13 and engaging the contact element 14. Preferably there are two such plates 20, 20 which are quite thin and are positioned at opposite sides of the plate 13, being connected thereto by means of rivets 21, 21.

The contact element 15 is similarly held in place, being entered in a longitudinal slot 22 in the plate 13. It is held in place by means of an element 23 which may be formed of metal, the said element 23 being bent to embrace the lower end of the plate 13 and being held in place by rivets 24, 24.

What I claim is:

1. A switching member movable between opposite spaced stationary switch contacts and comprising in combination, a metallic contact element provided with oppositely facing contact faces and having substantially parallel spaced portions with a transverse connecting portion between them, a unitary fiat insulating plate having a thickness approximating the spacing between the parallel portions of the contact, the said plate being provided with an opening ex tending entirely therethrough and of such size and shape as to permit the previously formed contact element to be put in place with the connecting portion thereof extending through the opening and with the parallel portions thereof located at opposite sides of the insulating plate and means connected with the plate adjacent the said opening for holding the contact element in place.

2. A switching member rectilinearly movable between opposite spaced stationary switch contacts and comprising in combination, a metallic contact element provided with oppositely facing contact faces and having substantially parallel spaced portions with a transverse connecting portion between them, a unitary fiat insulating plate having a thickness approximating the spacing between the parallel portions of the contact and having parallel guiding edges, the said plate being provided between the said edges with an opening extending entirely therethrough and of such size and shape as to permit the previously formed contact element to be put in place with the connecting portion thereof extending through the opening and with the parallel portions thereof located at opposite sides of the insulating plate, and means connected with the plate adjacent the said opening for holding the contact element in place.

3. A switching member movable between opposite spaced stationary switch contacts and comprising in combination, a metallic contact element provided with oppositely facing contact faces and having substantially parallel spaced portions with a transverse connecting portion between them, a unitary flat insulating plate having a thickness approximating the spacing between the parallel portions of the contact, the said plate being provided with an opening extending entirely therethrough and of such size and shape as to permit the previously formed contact element to be put in place with the connecting portion thereof extending through the opening and with the parallel portions thereof located at opposite sides of the insulating plate, and a flat plate of insulating material connected with the plate adjacent the said opening for holding the contact element in place.

4. A switching member rectilinearly movable between opposite spaced stationary switch contacts and comprising in combination, a metallic contact element provided with oppositely facing contact faces and having substantially parallel spaced portions with a transverse connecting portion between them, a unitary flat insulating plate having a thickness approximating the spacing between the parallel portions of the contact and having parallel guiding edges, the said plate being provided between the said edges with an opening extending entirely therethrough and of such size and shape as to permit the previously formed contact element to be put in place with the connecting portion thereof extending through the opening and with the parallel portions thereof located at opposite sides of the insulating plate, and a flat plate of insulating material connected with the plate adjacent the said opening for holding the contact element in place.

5. A switching member rectilinearly movable between opposite spaced stationary switch contacts and comprising in combination, a metallic contact element provided with oppositely facing contact faces and having substantially parallel spaced portions with a transverse connecting portion between them, a unitary flat insulating plate having parallel guiding edges and provided between the said edges with an opening extending entirely therethrough, the said opening having side Walls parallel with the guiding edges and an end wall perpendicular to said edges and the said opening being of such size and shape as to permit the previously formed contact element to be put in place with the connecting portion thereof extending through the opening and engaging the end wall thereof and with the parallel portions thereof located at opposite sides of the insulating plate, and means connected with the plate adjacent the said opening for holding the contact element in place.

6. A rectilinearly movable switching member adapted to move between opposite spaced stationary switch contacts, the said contact member comprising in combination a fiat insulating plate having parallel guiding edges and provided with a longitudinal slot extending from one end between the said edges, a metallic contact element extending through the slot adjacent the inner end thereof and bent to form oppositely facing contact faces located at opposite sides of the insulating plate and adapted to be engaged with or disengaged from the stationary switch contacts, and means connected with the plate adjacent the outer end of the slot for holding the contact in place in the slot.

JOSEPH SACHS. 

